The speech begins with a pause to settle the crowd down, then launches into setting the scene. Even from the very beginning, Obama is making eye contact with different parts of the crowd. His first words address the audience - "fellow citizens" - and the rest of the speech keeps with that audience in mind. His diction is firm, and the words are clear. The metaphors used are simple, so as not to distract the audience from the core message.
Through the 6 to 6 1/2-minute mark we can see an increase in the firmness of tone, more clarity of speech and an increase in volume. This marks a point in the speech where Obama has been building to his first emotional rise. In a speech of this length, such rises break up the potential monotony and allow the speaker to keep command of the listener's attention. Notice that throughout the speech, eye contact is constantly maintained, as is a relatively even tone of voice. Also note the limited use of hand gestures....
The conclusion is rousing, yet no matter the emotion level we continue to see the traits of a strong speaker. The content is relevant, tying today's situation to the situation faced by the founding fathers. There is a call to action, which is a great way to engage the audience further and make them remember the speech. We see constant eye contact, we see controlled language, we see a firm tone, good use of volume and we also see a conclusion to which the audience can relate.
From start to finish, the Inauguration Speech exemplifies what solid business speaking can be. All of the major components of a great speech are touched upon, and at no point does Obama forget the basics of simplicity, control, diction, volume and eye contact.
